Do Democrats Enjoy Smearing Conservatives?

Peggy Noonan asked last night if the Democrats really think conservatives are bigots, or are they just playing games?

Paul Mirengoff at Power Line tonight asks a similar question, whether the Democrat senators enjoy smearing people such as Judge Alito. Paul concludes: "My guess, for what it's worth, is that Senators Schumer, Durbin, and Kennedy do enjoy smearing Judge Alito and others. Schumer and Durbin seem very comfortable doing so. Kennedy, I think, gets satisfaction from moralistic attacks on others because of his own history of immoral behavior."

Earlier today I wondered why Senator Kennedy, with so much tragedy in his past, hasn't emerged from his experiences as a kinder, more empathetic person. One would think the average person who has suffered greatly would be reluctant to needlessly inflict pain on others, unless misery loves company. But perhaps Paul has found an answer for the pleasure Kennedy seems to take in (irrationally) attacking conservatives.